Open Access

ARTICLE

A. Veronica Araya¹, Violeta Pavez², Claudio Perez³, Fermin Gonzalez³, Alicia Colombo³, Adam Aguirre³, Irene Schiattino⁴, Juan C. Aguillón³
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 128-133, 2003
Abstract Several studies have demonstrated that diabetes is a risk factor for developing periodontal disease, increasing its prevalence and severity. Furthermore, periodontitis may impair the metabolic control and adequate treatment of diabetic patients. LPS from Gram-negative bacteria penetrates the periodontal tissues and subsequently recruits and activates immune cells. Progression to severe periodontitis with loss of supporting structures is mediated by several factors, including secretion of a broad spectrum of inflammatory and destructive mediators such as cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6), chemokines (IL-8) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂).
The aim of this work is to investigate differences in the… More >

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ARTICLE

Elie Mavoungou^1,2, Adrian J. F. Luty^1,2, Peter G. Kremsner^1,2
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 134-142, 2003
Abstract The ability of human NK cells to inhibit the growth in vitro of the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum was tested. Purified NK cells from donors with no prior exposure to malaria significantly inhibited parasite growth after 48 hours of co-culture in the presence of human immune serum. This inhibition was completely abrogated by pre-treatment of the NK cells with an anti-CD95 (anti-Fas) monoclonal antibody and human Fas-Fc soluble protein. The level of growth inhibition was also substantially reduced by pre-treatment with an anti-CD56 antibody. These two antibodies caused reductions, to varying levels, of the More >

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ARTICLE

Gergely Klausz¹, Andrea Tiszai², László Tiszlavicz³, Zsófia Gyulai¹, Zsuzsa Lénárt², János Lonovics², Yvette Mándi¹
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 143-148, 2003
Abstract The mucosal production of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and nitrotyrosine was investigated in H. pylori-positive patients with duodenal ulcer (DU). The concentrations of these cytokines in gastric antrum mucosal specimens from patients infected with H. pylori (n = 40) were determined by ELISA and compared with data on mucosal specimens from H. pylori-negative patients (n = 12). Nitrotyrosine was determined by ECL Western blotting. It was additionally investigated whether the tissue levels of the cytokines correlated with the peripheral cytokine levels, and the CagA status of the patients.
The local TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations in the antral biopsy… More >

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ARTICLE

Agnieszka Wierzbowska, Tadeusz Robak, Agata Wrzesień-Kuś, Anna Krawczyńska, Ewa Lech-Marańda, Halina Urbańska-Ryś
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 149-153, 2003
Abstract Angiogenesis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute leukemia, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a crucial, positive regulator of this process. The biological activity of VEGF is mediated by two different receptor tyrosine kinases: VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-1. The soluble form of VEGFR-1 is likely to be a negative regulator of VEGF availability, but the physiological role of sVEGFR-2 is still unclear. The plasma levels of sVEGFR-1 and sVEGFR-2 in patients with acute leukemia have not been investigated. We measured the plasma concentrations of VEGF and its two soluble receptors in 39… More >

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ARTICLE

Vito Lampasona¹, Jordi Rio², Diego Franciotta³, Roberto Furlan⁴, Carlo Avolio⁵, Raffaella Fazio⁶, Vito Lavolpe⁷, Angela Vincent⁸, Giancarlo Comi⁶, Maria Trojano⁷, Xavier Montalban², Gianvito Martino^4,6,*
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 154-157, 2003
Abstract We devised a sensitive, radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) for anti-interferon (IFN)- b – binding antibody (BAB) detection. Our RIPA showed good agreement with a reference RIPA (mean difference, – 3.2 ± 10.6 AU), and detected BAB to both IFN-β-1α and IFN-β-1β. Neutralizing antibodies to IFN-β (NAB) were also determined with a standard method. BAB and NAB were measured in 393 serum samples from 77 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with IFN-β-1α or -1β, who were studied over two years, and subsequently classified as responders and non-responders. BAB were found at higher concentrations, and more frequently detected, More >

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ARTICLE

Dariusz P. Olszyna^1,2, Annelies Verbon², John P. Pribble³, Terence Turner³, Tim Axtelle³, Sander J. H. van Deventer¹, Tom van der Poll^1,2
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 158-162, 2003
Abstract To determine the role of CD14 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of chemokines, 16 humans were injected with LPS (4 ng/kg) preceded (– 2 h) by intravenous IC14, an anti-human CD14 monoclonal antibody, or placebo. LPS elicited increases in interleukin (IL)-8 concentrations in plasma and in lysates of red blood cell (RBC), polymorphonuclear cell and mononuclear cell fractions, which were all reduced by IC14. LPS also induced rises in the plasma and RBC levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, which were diminished by IC14. Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1a and MIP-1β, chemokines that in contrast to IL-8 More >

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ARTICLE

Neslihan Bukan¹, Sinan Sözen², Ugur Coskun³, Banu Sancak¹, Nazan Günel³, Ibrahim Bozkırlı², Çagrı Senocak²
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 163-167, 2003
Abstract Background: Both interleukin-18 and nitric oxide are multifunctional molecules that are involved in the different steps of carcinogenesis.
Methods: In the present study, we measured serum interleukin-18 and nitric oxide activity in 51 bladder cancer patients with different tumor stage and grade, and in 8 healthy controls. Serum nitrite-nitrate levels were measured as an index of nitric oxide generation.
Results: Serum interleukin-18 levels were significantly higher in bladder cancer patients when compared to the control subjects (p > 0.05). Serum interleukin-18 levels were found to be higher in patients with Ta stage than patients with T1 More >

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ARTICLE

Carita Eklund¹, Farhana Jahan¹, Tanja Pessi¹, Terho Lehtimäki², Mikko Hurme^1,3
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 168-171, 2003
Abstract C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of inflammation induced by both IL-6 and IL-1. Thus, genetic variation in these genes could be associated with the variety in C-reactive protein levels, and therefore with the severity of the entire inflammatory response. Even a subtle elevation in baseline CRP levels in healthy individuals has been found to significantly increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, to find out the possible role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in CRP baseline regulation we conducted a study of 338 healthy blood donors whose CRP levels were determined and whose single nucleotide More >

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ARTICLE

Catharina Suharti¹, Eric C. M. van Gorp², Wil M. V. Dolmans³, Tatty E. Setiati⁴, C. Erik Hack⁵, Robert J. Djokomoeljanto¹, Jos W. M. van der Meer³
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 172-177, 2003
Abstract Objective. To investigate the patterns of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) during the course of dengue shock syndrome.
Design. Prospective clinical study.
Setting. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Kariadi Hospital, the university hospital of Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia.
Patients. Fifty children with dengue shock syndrome.
Measurements. The plasma concentration and the ex vivo production, with and without lipopolysaccharide (LPS), of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-1Ra were measured in duplicate by nonequilibrium radioimmunoassay (RIA); IFN-γ and IL-6 were measured by ELISA. Results. During the acute phase, the plasma concentrations and… More >

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ARTICLE

Jacques-Olivier Pers¹, Christophe Jamin¹, Pierre Youinou¹, Jeannine Charreire²
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 178-185, 2003
Abstract The B lymphocyte compartment is comprised of B-1 and B-2 cells. The former is divided into B-1a, which express CD5, and B-1b cells which do not: both are self-renewing, although the mechanisms are yet to be identified. IL-10^–/– mice were used to delineate the role of the B cell activator IL-10 in this process. Its absence had no effect on the total number of B-1 cells, but decreased that of B-1a cells (0.8 ± 0.1 versus 1.7 ± 0.2 × 10⁶ , p < 0.002), while increasing that of B-1b cells (1.9 ± 0.4 versus 0.8… More >

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ARTICLE

R. Meli^a, C. Bentivoglio^b, I. Nuzzo^b, G. Mattace Raso^a, E. Galdiero^b, M. Galdiero², R. Di Carlo^a, C. Romano Carratelli^b
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 186-191, 2003
Abstract Prolactin (PRL) is a pituitary hormone and a cytokine known to regulate several physiological functions. It plays a role in modulating the immune system of rodents and humans. A hormonal protection against listeria and salmonella infections has been previously ascribed to effects of PRL on immunocompetent cells. Here, the role of PRL in the Th1-Th2 response was evaluated based on the pattern of cytokines release by splenocytes from hyperprolactinemic mice infected with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.
Hyperprolactinemia by pituitary graft reduced the number of bacteria in spleens of in vivo infected mice. Modulation of Th1 (IFN-γ, IL-12) More >

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SHORT NOTE

Joanna Iłżecka
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 192-194, 2003
Abstract The role of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) in the etiopathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is still not clear. The aim of this study was to measure serum CNTF level in patients with ALS. The study involved 36 ALS patients and 43 control group subjects. CNTF was measured by the enzyme‐‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results showed that the serum CNTF level in whole group of ALS patients was significantly higher from those in the total control group subjects. CNTF level was not dependent on the clinical state of the ALS patients, type of ALS onset, or More >

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MEETING REPORT

Caroline Diveu, Anne-Hélène Lagrue Lak-Hal, Hugues Gascan
European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 195-197, 2003
Abstract Auteur(s) : Caroline Diveu, Anne-Hélène Lagrue Lak-Hal and Hugues Gascan INSERM U564, CHU, 4, rue Larrey, 49033 Angers Cedex 01, France In May of this year, the annual cytokine meeting, organized by the French Society of Immunology, was held for the third time, in Le Croisic on the coast of Brittany. Current events involving cytokines, relationships between cytokines and tumors, cytokines in immune deficiency, IRFs and STATs in the signal transduction and cytokines in TH1/TH2 responses were [...] More >

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